Conveying apparatus.



YA. S. DWIGHT. i commune ABPARATUS; armenio! rILnn Arn.o, 1.910;

1,027,1 1 1, y Patented n my 21, 1912.A

- c a n Q @VH1/wonen ab UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE. ARTHUR s.,nWIG1;1T,-or NEw YORK. N. yY., AssIGNoR'To DWIGHT a LLOYD METAL LURGICAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY. f

j CONVEYING APPARATUS.

To all whom 'it may concern: v Be it known that I,ARTHR S. DWIGHT, citizen of the United States, residing. at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in. Conveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being vhad therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to conveying mechanisin which is adapted for a wide variety of ractical uses'but which has been especially devised for the handling of ore during the desulfurizing and sintering thereof, the conveyer being illustrated incombina tion with elements of apparatus that are utilized in the particular use to which the invention is put as illustrated in the a companying drawing. v-

As examples of the continuous treat lient n I u of materlal 1n whlch .the conveyer hereln.

illust-rated may be employed, :the following may'l be referred to, namely, the drying of various materialsA such as screened and treatment. of other substances by heat or moving volumes of air or other gaseous fluids.. l

' In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a sideelevation of an apparatus embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 /is an end y View of the apparatus. Fig. 3 vis/a detached view, in perspective, of one of the movable conveying elements, herein referred to as a pallet.`

The material to be treated, which for the purposes of ,describing the invention `will in this specification be considered to be a suld ore that is to be desulfuriz'ed and sintered, is delivered in aloose condition from a hopper'or `storage bin 2 to the conveyer which consists essentially of a series of pallets or comparatively small carriers, each y independent of the other, so far as their being connected together is c'oncerned, althoughn under certain conditions of operation, a;

- cross pieces 5. Upon these cross pieces are washedf coal, the lburning of lime, and the Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 30, 1910. Serial No. 558,621.l

Patented Mayz, 1912;

supportedthe bottom pieces 6 for supporting the material which the conveyer is to transport. In the form of theinvention being described, these bottom pieces are perforated grates. .The pallets are preferably without end walls so that when a series`of -pallets are brought together end to end, as

indicated at a in Fig. 1, they constitute a contlnuous trough-like holder.

The pallets are arranged 'to besupported by and travel along tracks 7 supported by suitable framework 8, and for some uses of the invention, as that illustratedrit is de-A sirable that the pallets when iny series, as at c, and travelingabove the tracks 7, should move in such close engagement with the lat-l ter as to form practically air-tight joints therewith. To this end the lower edges of the side Walls of the pallets are preferably Vplaned smooth, as are also the upper edges. of the tracks, so that these co-acting edges` fit o ne another accurately. rlhe edges of the ends -of the side walls Aof the pallets should also t each other closely, and` practically air-tightly, when the p'allets'are ar ranged together inl end to endseries. 'In their travel along the tracks'7tthe pallets pass an air .boxr 9 which constitutes an clement of an air-moving system. This air box is represented as being vbetween and below the tracks and connected by an air trunk I 10` with a suction fan 11. These means may be considered as generic illustrations of ap-r..

paratus for causing the desiredl treatment of the material beingV transported by the conveyer, though they are specifically adapted for use jin desulfurizing and sintering ore.-

The independent pallets, in' trainl or series, as represented at a, are moved slowly along the tracks 7 by suitable apparatus. That which I have illustrated consists of a rev ciprocating driver, designated as an entirety by l2, and having a ratchet pawl 13 1 which is adapted tol engage with a projection or projections 14 carried by each pallet.y The tracks 7 are preferably horizontal,

though they might be inclined downward Y in the direction of the movement ofthe train ofconveyer elements to lessen the work of the driving appara-tus After. passmg the tracks 7, which are represented as defining the course where the pallets are active as'conveying elements, they should be moved s0 as to 'respectively discharge whatever ,they may be carrying, and then .be returned,

one at a time, to position to again take their course along the tracks 7 or where they are active. l

I will now describe the means for effecting the separation of the pallets successively from the train or series a and the delivery of them individually toy the head end of the 'apparatus to be again brought into the series a for activeuse.

15 15 are projections extending out transversely from the side walls 4 of the pallets. These projections are preferably in the form of pins or studs, and are located near the forward ends of the pallets as they travel in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. r i

16, 16 are guides wit^h which the projections 15 engage as the pallets eomejto ,the ends of the tracks 7. These uides are preferably curved so as to cause t e leading ends A ofthe pallets to tip downward as the pallets are" pushed ott' the guides.l This is for the purpose of. breaking oif the cake or mass of sintered ore contained in the end allet from that carried by the next succeeding one so that. the ore may be discharged-as the pallet leaves thel series a.

17 represents an endless conveyer. This may conveniently be formed of a pair of sprocket chains 18 supportedv upon and en gaging with wheels 20 and carrying at in-.

tervals the hooks 19. Theconveyer 17 is arranged to pick up the individual pallets as they leave the series a and convey them back to a position where they may successively Y again'take their place at the head end of the The guides 16 16 are so situated with reference to the sprocket wheel 20 at the discharge end of the apparatus that the hooks 19 come l' into engagement with the projections 15 shortly after the. pallet separates from the series a and entirely leaves the tracks 7.

When this separation of the leading palletA from the trainer series takes place, and it is supported wholly by the conveyer 17 ,"in conjunction with the guides 16, the pallet swings upon the projecting pinsl, which then cons titute its pivotal supports, s o as to readily discharge its load,jas indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The conveyer 17, constituting pick up and `return means for the individual pallets, extends from the rear or discharge end of the apparatus to the forward or feed end thereof and is preferablylocated above the tracks 7 and in the same vertical planes as they are. The forward end of the conveyer inclines downward quite sharply so that when the. pallets reach this part of the run of the conveyer they will move forward, under the influence of gravity, at a speed greater than that of the feed, and hence'will separate themselves from the hooks l19. A guide chute 21 of suitable form receives and directs the pallets from the forward delivery end of the conveyer to the forward end of the tracks 7 where they are successively pusl'ed forward into the train or series a by the driving mechanism 12. The inner member or element 21' of the guide chute 21 is arranged ito tilt the pallet from the position which it occupies when freely suspended by the hooks 19, to the position indicated at b, Fig. 1, in order that the pallet shall enter the chute in such position that when passed to the trackway it shall be right side up and with its leading end forward.

22 designates a gas pipe provided with flame orices or jet nozzles and serving1 as a meansof ignitin'g the body of ore at its surface after it` has been fed to the conveyer. The supports for the endless conveyer need not be illustrated in det-ail nor described,

since they may be of'any preferred or approved character and may be supplied by anyr one skilled in the art. The conveyer constitutes -a means for directing the course of, as well as transporting the individual elements of the conveyer from the discharge to the feed end of the apparatus. lBut a brief description of the operation of the apparatus shown in the drawings will be necessary to understand the working of the invention. -The ore is gradually fed from the hopper 2 to the pallets where it accummulates in a layer continuous from pallet to pallet if they are formed without end walls as shown and described. At about the time a pallet reaches the vertical plane of the forward edge of the air box 9 it is ignited at its upper surface, the ore being, it is sup- A posed, one which containsa combustible element or ingredient, such as sulfur. As the pallets move slowly across the open` end of the air box air or other combustion-supporting gas is caused by the fan 1l to, pass through the ore, theperforated grates permitting this and the' tight fitting of the side walls of the pallets, one with the other, and each with the tracks 7, insuring that the air currents shall pass through the body of the ore. The speed of the apparatus is so adjusted that by the time the pallet has reached the lfar end of the air box thelentire mass of ore has been desulfurized and sintered and is in the form of a porous cake or biscuit well adapted for handling and subsequent treatment in a blast furnace. The successive separations of the pallets from the series, as has -been described, causes the breaking up of the sinter into-pieces of convenient size and shape and their successive discharge from the pallets.

There are many practical advantages incldent to a form of conveyer such as described, which as has been stated is adapted for a Wide variety of uses, some of which advantages may be stated. Since each element ofthe conveyer is small in size and of very simple construction, and entirely independent, so far as being linked with. or permanently .connected to other similar elements, as in conveyers now. in common use, the injury or breakage of any single element does not necessitate t-he stoppage of the Working of theentire apparatus or seriously interfere, therewith, as in earlier types of conveyers. Any element can be relnoved from the apparatus While upon the conveyer 17, or while in the'guide chute 21, and another substituted in its place at anytime and without stoppiugthe Working of the apparatus. Indeed one or more of the pal-- 2. A- conveying apparatus comprising a serles of: independent"disconnected elements l arranged to be brought vtogether end to end to form an open substantially continuous carrier for loose material,1 and means for successively separating the leadingA element from, and Without disturbing the rest of,

therseries to permit a discharge therefrom of the material being conveyed, andgmeans for returning the said separated elements to the feed end of the apparatus.

3. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected element-s arranged tobe brought together'end to end to form a substantiallycontinuous carrier adapted to receive loose material, a trackway lalong which the said elements are moved While in active operation, in close end t-o end arrangement, and return means for'directing the said Aelements from the discharge to the lfeed end of the said trackway 4. In a conveying`apparatus, a series of independent disconnected elements arranged .to be brought together end to end to form a substantially continuous carrier which is adapted to receive and convey loose material,

ka trackway along .which the said elements,

' while in active operation, are moved, in

close end to end arrangement to form said continuous carrier, means for moving the said continuous carrier at a relatively slow speed, and means for successively separat-iv ing the elements one at a time from the discharge end of the continuous carrier .and for transporting them to the vfeed end t ereof at a speed greater than that at -Which they are moved when arranged in series as a carrier.4 p

l 5. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected carrying elements arranged to be brought together end to end to form 4a substantially continuous carrier adapted to receive loose material, a track- Way along yvhich they travel vWhenin said end vto end arrangement, and means for re-' turning the carrying elements independently one ofthe other from the discharge end of the track to `the feed end thereof, the said returning means being arranged above the trackway.

6. In a conveying, apparatus, a series of independent disconnected elements arranged to be brought together end to end to form. a substantially continuous carrier which is adapted to receive and convey loose material, a trackway by which the said elements when arranged to form acontinuousjcarrier are supporter-land directed, and means for separating the said :elements from the leading end of the series constituting the continuous carrier, and forreturning them `to the head end of the apparatus, the returning means being arranged to support the carriers in position fto`discharger their contents. y i i 7. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected elements arranged to be brought together end to end to form a substantially continuous carrier which is adapted to receive and convey loose material, a trackway b viwhich the said elements when yarranged to form a continuous carrier are .supported anddlrected, and an endless movlng carrler means arranged .to take the Individual carrying elements from the tail end of the apparatus and deliver them to the head end thereof, the said carrying means4 being arranged to support the carrying elements in position to discharge their con-v 'tent-s.

8. In la conveying apparatus, a; series of independent disconnected elements arranged tobe brought together end to end to form a substantially continuous carrier which -is adapted to receive and convey loose material, a trackway along which the said carrying elements travel when in a continuous series, means-arranged near the head end of the apparatus for pushing the said series of' elements along the trackway, and other` means arranged to take the carrying elements successively from the leading end of thesaid vseries and ldeliver them from the discharge end to the feed end of the apparatus to be again used.

9, In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected/carrying elements,

while so supported to the head or feed end.

of the apparatus.

10. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected carrying elements arranged to be brought together end to end to form a substantially continuous carrier which, is adapted to receive and convey loose vmaterial, a trac-kway along which they are moved in end to end series,` an endless conveyer for carrying the said elements from the delivery end of the apparatus to the feed end, a guide for successively directing the leading elements of the series to the said conveyer, and means for directing the said carrying elements from the conveyer to the head or starting end of the series.

y11. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected conveying elements each provided near one end with pivotal projections, a trackway along which the -said carrying elements are moved in an end to end series, and an endless conveyer for taking the said carrying elements individually from the rear end of' the apparatus to its head end, the said conveyer being provided with means for engagingthe said projections of the'carriers whereby during transit by the conveyer the carriers are sus pended. v 12. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected carrying elements, arranged to be brought together to forni a substantially continuous carrier' which is adapted to receive and convey loose material., tracks upon which the said carrying elements rest and along which they are moved in an end to end series, means for directing the leading carrying elements of the series successively out of line with those remaining1 iii the series, and means for directing rt e individual carrying elements from the discharge end of the apparatus to the head end of the apparatus. i i' 13. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected conveying elements, a trackway along which they travel, means for directing the individual carrying elements from the discharge end of the ap. 'paratus to the feed end thereof, and a guide chute at the feed eiid of the apparatus into which the -said elements 4are delivered and where they may be collected preparatory to being delivered to the said trackway. V i 14. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected conveying elements arranged when brought together to constitute a carrier that is adapted to receive and convey loose material, a trackway for supporting the said conveying elements in series, close together end to end, means for delivering loose material to the said coliveying elements while arranged in said series, means for causing al discharge of the conveying elements, and means for returning them individually to the head end of the apparatus.

15. In an apparatus for conveying inaterial, a series of independent disconnected conveying elements arranged when brought together to constitute a carrier that is adapted to receive andv convey loose mater-ial, a traclrway for supporting the said elements and along which they ktravel in a series, c'lose together end to end, means for successively charging loose material into the said conveying elements, means at the end of the said trackway for separating the conveying elements successively from the said series and causing them to discharge, and means` for individually returning the conveying elements to the head of the apparatus after they have discharged.

16. In a conveying apparatus, a series of independent disconnected open top carrying elements arranged to be brought together in series to form a substantially continuous carrier, and each being provided with lat erally extending projections, a trackway Ialong which the said elements move in an end to end series, and an endless carrying means arranged to engage with the said lateral projections of the carrying elements `100 as they arrive at the discharge end of the apparatus and to conveythem therefrom to the feed end of the apparatus. 17. In an apparatusfor conveying material, a series of independent' disconnected 105 open top conveying elements arranged when brought together end to' end to form a si 1bstantially continuous carrier along which the carriers are moved in an end to end series with theiropen ends upward, and means for separating the leading carrying elements one at a time from the series to permit their discharge, and for returning them to the i head end of the machine, the returning lmeans inclining downward toward the feed end of :the machine whereby't-he carrying elements tend to perform the latter part of their return movement under the influence.. ofgravity.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

` ARTHUR S. DWIGHT. 

